Reversible envelope-fastener



(No Model.) 2

0. A. DE LONG.

REVERSIBLE ENVELOPE EASTENEE. No. 427,226. Patented May 6, 1890.

YH: News ravens c'o.. mom-mno., msummcn, u4 c UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR A. DE LONG, OF VICHITA, KANSAS.

REVERSIBLE ENVELOPE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 427,226, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed May 18, 1889. Serial No. 311,349. (No model.)

To all whom, it iii/Cty concern:

Be itknown that I, OSCAR A. DE LONG, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at `Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversible Envelope-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a back plan view of the envelope folded to expose to view the forwarding-address. Fig. 2 is a front plan view of the same, showing the envelope-aps secured by the metallic fastener. Fig. 3 is a plan view with the envelope aps extended, showing the side upon which the forwarding-address is written. Fig. 4f is a detailed view showing the manner in which the flap may be folded to inclose and secure the body of the fastener. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the opposite side of the envelope, having the return-address thereon. Figs. 6, 7, and S are detailed plan views of the metallic fastener, showing varied forms of the body part thereof; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an inclosed envelope.

This invention relates to certain improvements in a reversible envelope or wrapper adapted for sendin g out samples-such as dry goods and the'like-as mail-matter to persons at a distance; and it consists in a paper blank or some equivalent material cut in such manner as to have a body part with flaps extending therefrom, arranged to fold over on the body part and be secured to inclose the contents of the envelope or wrapper by means of a bendable metallic fastener secured to'one flap and arranged to enter a perforation of the opposite flap and be folded down upon the iiap; and for the purpose of rendering the envelope or wrapper serviceable for sending out and returning samples it is arranged so the body part thereof may be presented either side out, one side thereof bearing the forwarding-address, and when sending out that side is presented as the envelope-back, and the other side bearing the return-address, and when returning the samples the envelope is folded to present said return-address by reversing the former folds 5 and to accomplish this purpose the fastener is secured to the flap in such manner as to be presentable in the perforation of the opposite ilap either Way the flaps are folded.

Referring to the drawings, E represents the body of the envelope or wrapper, and B, D, F, and F the flaps thereof, arranged one at either side and adapted to fold over upon the body E in either direction.

C represents a metallic fastener secured to one iiap in such manner as to present its bendable tongue, extending from the ap, by means of inclosing its enlarged body part between the folds or re-enforcement of the iiap or by securing it in any suitable way to the flap, so its tongue will be presented as shown. The form of the body of the fastener is not material; but in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 different forms R are shown to illustrate some of the forms practicable for the purpose, and in Fig. 5 the fastener is secured by passing its tongue through an incision in the flap a distance from the vertex of the angle of the flap, and then folding that portion of the iiap cl beyond the incision over on the body of the flap, inclosing the fastener-body between said folded parts and securing the fold by means of applying paste or gum to the parts of contact, thus presenting the fastener-tongue as the terminal of the flap. The flap may be formed with two right angles g g, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, and folded over upon the iiap body so their vertex will meet, and thus inclose the fastener at the vertex of a third angle thus formed, or a re-enforcement may be used in place of said folds.

A represents a perforation in the iiap B opposite that of the fastener and adapted to register with the tongue of the'fastener when folded over on the body E.

V represents a re-enforcement for strengthening the parts about perforation a, whicl may be used or omitted, as desired.

The dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 5 represent where the folds are to be made in folding the flaps to inclose the envelope or wrapper.

In use the samples desired. to be sent out are placed. on the body E in contact with the side bearing the return-address. The iiaps F and F are folded over on the samples. Then aps B and D are folded over on iiaps 'F F', the tongue C entered in perforation a, and then bent over upon the terminal of thc per- IOO forated ilap, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9, which secures vthe envelope or Wrapper closed, thus forming what is termed an openable envelope or Wrapper, and lastly the forwardingaddress is Written upon the envelope-back presented. After the person addressed has received and examined the contents, she re' verses the envelope or wrapper, replaces those of the samples she desires, and again fastens the flaps closed, thus exposing to View the return-address, and remails it to the sender.

The principal feature of this invention is to provide one iiap of a reversible envelope or Wrapper with a, bendable metallic fastener adapted to register with a perforation of an opposite flap When folded in either direction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure .by Letters Patent, is as follows: 

